the one thing the american people should not have to wait and see is some sort of action. so if we don't see an agreement between the two leaders in the senate, i expect a bill to go on the floor action and i've asked senator reid to do this -- put a bill on the floor that makes sure that taxes on middle-class families don't go up, that unemployment insurance is still available for 2 million people, and that lays the groundwork then for additional deficit reduction and economic growth steps we can take in the new year, but let's not miss this deadline. that's the bare minimum we should be able to get done. it shouldn't be that heart since democrats and republicans both say they don't want to see taxes go up on middle-class families. i just have to repeat. outside of washington, nobody understands how it is that this seems to be a repeat pattern over and over again. ordinary folks, they do their jobs. they meet deadlines, they sit down and they are discuss things, and then things happen. the notion that our elected leadership can't do the same thing is mind-boggling to them